To early humans the Sun was an object of warmth and security. The ancients attributed the Sun to their most important god and accorded it the highest honors. Nothing was more important than the Sun, except the Earth, which was thought to be at the center of the universe and the celestial body around which everything revolved.

This concept lasted for thousands of years. It was not until the sixteenth century, when Polish astronomer Nicholas Copernicus placed the Sun at the center of the universe, that concepts began to change. Italian philosopher Giordano Bruno (1548-1600) thought the universe was infinite with a countless number of Suns in it. Around 1610, Galileo was probably the first to study the Sun with his telescope. (NOTE: Never look directly at the Sun. Permanent eye damage can result.) He discovered spots on the Sun that shifted position from day to day and used...